Ear tag



July 29, 1930. GRAHAM 1,771,574

EAR TAG Filafljpril 15, 1929 Zhwentor Patented July 29, 1930 PATENT OFFICE I I GUY G. GRAHAM, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI EAR TAG Application filed April 15,

This invention relates to stock markers and more especially to ear tags and has for one of its objects to produce a tag having a piercing point of such character that a stop is provided to prevent the tag from being closed beyond a predetermined point and resulting in the pinching and consequently the retarding of the blood circulation in the ear.

A further object of the invention is to produce a piercing point of such nature that the hole made in the ear of the animal is slightly greater in width than that of the material permanently extending through the ear so that the edges of the wound or cut will not be constantly irritated by rubbing contact with'the side edges of the tag.

A still further object is to roduce a tag with an attenuated pointwhic h will readily pierce the ear and may be easily bent to locked position.

With the general objects named in view, and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the tag in blank form.

' Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tag before insertion through the ear of an animal.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tag as it will appear in closed form.

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV vof Figure 3.

In the said drawing, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 indicates a metal blank or strip formed at its opposite ends with a slot or opening 2 and an attenuated piercing point 3, said piercing point having its side edges diverging to form looking or stop ping shoulders 4 of greater width than the transverse length in the slot 2.

The piercing end of the tag from the shoulder 4 is arcuately cut on its opposite sides as at 5 to form a reduced neck or stem which is permanently received within the ear of the animal.

In the use ofthe tag, it is bent to the form 1929. Serial No. 355,268.

shown in Figure 2 and by means of a suitable pincher-like inserting tool or instrument, is caused to pierce the ear, the attenu-f ated point 3 passing through the slot 2 and by contact with a suitable curved die being readily bent back into contact with the body a of the tag as shown clearly in Figures 3 aud t.

It will be evident that in the insertion or piercing operation described, the shoulders 4, being greater in width than the neck 5, will provide a somewhat enlarged opening for reception of said neck portion so that the side edges of the neck will not continuously rub against the edges of the wound. It will also be evident that the shoulders 4, being greater in width than the transverse length of the slot 2, will provide a positive abutment or stop beyond which the tag cannot be closed. Thus pinching the ear of the animal is entirely avoided. 1

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced an ear tag of the character outlined which possesses all of the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have described and claimed the preferred embodiment of the same, I reserve the right to make all changes properly falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A stock tag formed of a single strip of stiff material, bent transversely'at an intermediate point to provide two sides one of said sides near its free end having a trans verse slot and the other side at its free end, a prong projecting toward the slotted end of the other side; said prong having a piercing point of downwardly-tapering form at its sides, which point at its greatest width is incapable of passing through said slot, the

prong above the piercing point being formed with recesses at its edges of depth suificient 'to reduce its width to less than the width of the widest part of the piercing point.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GUY G. GRAHAM. 

